Spring Time is finally here

Easy, fresh and delicious ingredients to create great flavours

Editors NoteI want to welcome all food lovers to the first issue of Signature S.O's monthly magazine! We're coming into the Spring season and it's time to gets the Easter eggs ready and the blooming flowers will come in handy for Mother's Day. We are entering a season where the air is fresher and healthier and this draws attention to the Green foods that we have growing in your gardens or fresh vegetables from your local food market.

Your first issue of the monthly magazine will include recipes for the celebration of the Spring season, with Easter approaching and Mother's Day around the corner. So don't worry if you have not prepared anything for the Easter period or Mother's Day! This issue is packed with fish recipes that should enlighten your taste buds to Spring cooking and bring some creativity to your food menus with vegetables such as Asparagus, fresh peas and spring beans which will add flavour to the many dishes you can experiment with this Spring. 

The recipes section will give the best recipes you can get this month, which will keep your cupboards looking good refreshed and if your looking to keep fit for the summer ad increase metabolism for the fresh Spring days vegetables are the best route to go down. For those of you who prefer to go to a restaurant for Easter and for mother's day there are many restaurants that can more the cater to your needs.

Check out our blog for more recipes www.signatureso.blogspot.com Get digging! Cheyenne Dwyer – McDowall Editor

In This Issue

Fair tradeHow we can help

Mother’s DayCelebrating the Mother’s of today by Princess Fisher

Easter RecipesWhat foods are in this season

Fair TradeFor the past two weeks people, organizations and support of Fair Trade have come out in full force for Fair Trade Fortnight 2013 to support fairer trade for independent farmers and for their products to have an impact on why we buy and how we choose to buy our food. Signature S.O is a company that embodies the ethos of a Fair Trade spirit. The support that we have for the Fair Trade enable workers in Ghana to reap the benefit of their products being sold across the world. Signature S.O looks to be part of a movement that embodies the need for fairer living but to also enjoy the beautiful herbs, spices, and fruits of Africa. In commemoration for Fair Trade fortnight, Signature S.O were and still are selling Sweet Safari Sauce which you can use to spice up any dish you choose to make! Enjoy!

Signature S.O is a company which has seen products of Fair Trade in the making and wants to deliver the best service and provide the best products with the intention of creating a better life for people who live in conditions that do not cater to their needs. With the introduction of Sweet Safari Sauce, Signature S.O aims to showcase the culinary delights of Africa.

The sauce can be added toy our chicken during the preparation process and you will instantly see and taste the difference. This is what makes Sweet Safari Sauce a special sauce

Here are three steps on how to use the sauce:

•Step 1: Wash chicken and season with herbs and spices of your choice

•Step 2: Add the Sweet Safari Sauce to the mix and leave for 20 minutes to allow the chicken to soak up the flavour.

•Step 3: Put the chicken on a oven tray and place in the oven for 40 minutes and then relax and enjoy!

Make Your Mother Smile Nothing says I love you more than a heart felt, well-prepared meal for Mothers Day. It’s always a joy for mums to take a break from the kitchen and have the children do the cooking.  Unfortunately not everyone is a natural at cooking, some must be taught. There are many dishes suitable for this lovely occasion from exotic to simplistic. Today, we’re going to share an unforgettable 3-course meal recipe that is bound to bring a smile on any mother’s face.  These meals may appear ordinary and familiar when looked, but by combining all the dishes – it becomes an experience. Best of all, these dishes have been made suitable for vegetarians as well, so more options!

We want to know what you cooked or whether you took your mother out to a restaurant so send in your messages and pictures!

Get cooking! 1. Heat a char-grill pan on high. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of the oil over the asparagus. Add the asparagus to the char-grill and cook and turning occasionally. Do this for 2 minutes or until it becomes bright green and tender crisp. Then transfer it to a plate.2. Place the remaining oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, shallot and peppercorns in a screw top jar and shake it until it’s well mixed. Season the mix with salt and black pepper. Then drizzle over the asparagus and serve.Now that mother’s appetite it stirred, it’s time for the second round; this is also known as - The Main Course!

Ingredients2 1/2 tbs light olive oil2 bunches asparagus, trimmed2 tbs red wine vinegar1 tsp honey1 tsp Dijon mustard1 shallot, finely chopped1 tbs pink peppercorns, lightly crushed

With The Mother’s Day Menu Barbequed Asparagus with Pink Peppercorn

Dressing

Ingredients2 bay leaves - fresh if you have them1 large leek , washed and roughly chopped1.2l semi-skimmed milk100g salted butter100g plain flour1 tsp English mustard powder280g extra mature grated cheddar or Vegetarian cheese50g Parmesan , finely grated450g macaroni6 spring onions , finely chopped70g pack pancetta slices or animal of your choice if any.2 hand-cut thick slices bread (about 2cm) from a white loaf, cubedOlive oil , for drizzling

Get Cooking! 1. Put the bay leaves, leek and milk in a pan, and gently heat until steaming but just below boiling point. Then take off the heat and set aside to infuse for 1 hour.2. Drain the milk and remove the leek and bay. Wipe out the pan then add the butter, flour and mustard powder. Keep stirring on the heat until the butter has melted, then cook to a paste for 1 min. Splash in some milk gradually and stir until it’s smooth and completely combined. Add the rest of the milk, a little at a time at first and then gradually add more as the mixture gets saucy. Give it a strong whisk to remove lumps if there are any. Keep stirring at all times and scrape the bottom of the pan so it doesn't stick. Do this until the sauce is bubbling and nicely thickened. Then remove it from the heat and stir in 200gs of the cheddar and 25gs of the Parmesan. Season really well – and be sure to taste it, as it will need a generous amount of salt.3. Cook the macaroni and stir into the cheese sauce with the 3 quarters of the spring onions. Scrape into a large ovenproof dish or several individual ones.4. Scatter the remaining cheddar over the macaroni, then alternate between draping over pancetta slices (bunching them up a bit) and scattering with the bread cubes and remaining spring onions. You can keep swapping between ingredients; you'll get a nice mix of everything on the top. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and add a very little drizzle of oil. 5. Bake for 40 mins until bubbling, and crunchy and golden on top.

Macaroni Cheese with Crunchy Crumb

Get Cooking!1. Whip the cream and sugar together until soft peaks form. Stir in the wine, most of the lemon zest and the juice. 2. Spoon into glasses or bowls, sprinkle with the remaining zest and serve with almond thins or berries. Have a wonderful Mother’s Day.

Ingredients284 tub whipping cream50g caster sugar50ml white wineZest and juice from ½ lemon Almond slices or berries to serve

Lemon Syllabub

Top 5 Restaurants to take your Mother for

the day!1. Strada

2. Wagamama3. Wasabi

4. Zizzi5. Gaucho

Vegetables of SpringIt's Spring time and it's time to bring out the Green foods, which can bring you healthier meals. Vegetables are very easy going with what you have in your cupboards and that is what makes the vegetables a good starter and main course food.  Asparagus can be fried, baked or roasted and can give you a variety of flavours. During Spring time, Asparagus is one of the most common vegetables you will find in the supermarkets. Asparagus come in a variety of different colours such as White and purple. These can be bought from the farmer's market or in your local supermarkets. White Asparagus is thicker and may require you to peel the outer layer but look for vibrant colours and uniformly thick spears which will add to the presentation of the food when entertaining your guests. You can also see how fresh they will be to eat when you buy Asparagus with thick spears. This will allows the Asparagus to cook properly and it will taste more refreshing! Asparagus tastes better on the day you buy it, however, it can keep for three days in the fridge and needs to be placed in water and covered so the spears stay fresh and don't die down. The best way to get the Asparagus soft and tender is boil for at least 10 minutes and then fry, bake, grill or steam which brings out the flavours. The best way to prepare the Asparagus for cooking is by discarding the stems. Grab the middle of the spear with one hand and then snap off the ends and this will leave a tender stalk and tip. Asparagus is good in salad and is something you can bustle up for a starter before you dig into your Easter meal.  A very familiar vegetable such as peas has delicate interior and exterior. Peas are easy to prepare, cook and eat! Peas provide the essential nutrients needed and is an excellent source of vitamin K, B6 and folic acid and this crucial for strengthening of the bones and cardiovascular health. There are three types of peas allowing variety for any for lover and a great ingredient for Easter. The type you will find in the supermarket are, English, sugar snap and snow peas and each type bring out a different flavour allowing a variety of tastes to resume through any Easter dishes that you put on the table. The colour of the peas is also appealing to the eye and creates perfect decoration for any fish dish of your choice. The most common are English peas; the pods are inedible so the shell needs to be shelled before eating. Sugar snaps have a more edible shell and are sweet in flavour and these peas can be eaten raw or cooked. Snow peas may not be as common in English cooking than it is in Chinese cooking but no shelling is required. Snow peas is flatter, thinner and more translucent than the other peas. Fresh peas are not always accessible so don't stress yourself out and try your local supermarket for frozen peas which can give your food equal amount flavour as fresh peas.

Sea bass and Sea food Italian One Pot 2 tbsp olive oil

1 fennel bulb, halved and sliced, fronds kept separate to garnish2 garlic cloves sliced½ red chilli, chopped250g cleaned squid, sliced into

ringsbunch basil, leaves and stalks separated, stalks tied together, leaves roughly chopped400g can chopped tomatoes150ml white wine2 large handfuls of mussels or

clams8 large raw prawns (whole look nicest)

4 sea bass fillets (about 140g/5oz each)

Want something refreshing on the menu, try the Sea bass and seafood Italian one-pot fish stew with shellfish and exude the many flavours of the Mediterranean. All ingredients can be found in local supermarkets and large supermarket stores. Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 45 minutes Step 1: Heat oil in a large saucepan with a fitting lid and then add fennel, garlic, ginger and chilli. This concoction should be fried until soft, and then add in the squid, tomatoes, basil stalk, rosemary and wine.  Step 2: Simmer over a low heat for 30-35 minutes until the squid is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly (add flour to the mixture if the sauce is too thick), and season. Step 3: Add the mussels and prawns over the sauce and lay the sea bass in the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes. Cover the saucepan and turn up the heat for 5 minutes. This dish can be served with basil leaves or any bread of your choice.  Recommendation: Baked bread from the bakery soaks up the flavours of the sauce very well!

Time to Indulge with Black and White Angel Cake Ingredients:

 1 cup cake flour (about 4

ounces)1 1/2 cups granulated

sugar, divided 1/2 teaspoon cream of

tartar1/4 teaspoon salt12 large egg whites 1 teaspoon fresh lemon

juice 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract2 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa

Glaze:1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons tub light

cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract3/4 teaspoon unsweetened

dark cocoa

Topping:Sliced strawberries

(optional)

Now you have the ingredients, time to prepare the cake. Begin by preheating the oven at 325 degrees1 To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level the flour with a knife. Combine flour and ¾ cup of granulated sugar and stir with a whisk2 Then place cream with tartar, add salt and egg whites in a large bowl and beat in a mixer until foamy. Add the remaining cup of granulated sugar. This requires one tablespoon at a time until peaks begin to form. Add in Lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of vanilla. Sift flour mixture over beaten egg whites. This should be a quarter cup at a time and fold in after each addition.3 Add half the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading the batter evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through batter with a sharp knife and bake at 325 degrees. This should be left in the oven for 55 minutes. Keep checking the cake as it may lightly spring back when lightly touched. Turn the pan upside down and allow the cake to cool. Once cool, loosen the cake from the sides with a metal spatula. Invert cake onto the plateThe longest part is now over!4 To prepare the glaze, add the powered sugar, cream cheese, milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a medium bowl and beat until smooth. Drizzle half of the glaze over the cake. Add ¾ teaspoon cocoa to the remaining glaze; stir well to combine and drizzle the cocoa glaze over the cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 5 minutes or at least until the glaze is set.Optional: Relish with Strawberries